New Legacy

Ch.17

“So you’ve never been to a feast?” Nasuada asked me while she led me through Farthen Dur, her gait powerful and commanding even when she looked back at me.

“Well, I never had a chance.” I meekly replied as I fidgeted with the hem of my long skirt. She and I were both wearing tasteful goldenrod dresses, mine being backless due to my wings. Thank gosh I didn’t have to resort to it going down to my ass for my tail, because the tailor took that into account too. Thank gosh we don’t have to wear those damn waist-harnesses called bodices or hoop skirts.

“Hm, well, I’m sure you at least understand the nuances of utensils?” Oh gods no! “Well if you did, sorry to spoil your efforts, the wargs have no patience for such nonsense and neither do the rest of us.” Oh thank the gods! “That said, you can’t just grab a whole platter and hoard it.” Nasuada playfully said and I wrinkled my brows. “You can’t expect news that you ate a whole Nagra by yourself, in one sitting, would not get around.”

“I’m a growing dragoness. Besides, that was in my birth form. I don’t know how my innards manage to compress so much food into this form or other squicky matters and that is one issue I am willing to leave a mystery.” I said to the beautiful zebra mare, who nodded in acceptance of my answer.

“Fair enough. No need to speak of such things when we’re about to eat large quantities of food.” Nasuada said moments before we reached the bottom of the staircase to King Hrothgar’s royal wing, where the banquet was being hosted in his Great Hall as was wargish tradition. “Good evening sirs. How are things?”

“Aside from people whining and moaning about yer father abdicating his position to you, it’s been a fine feast. Enjoy yerself, milady.” The fully armored guard on the right said before he and his fellow opened the heavy stone doors for us.

This was far more chaotic than I envisioned.

There were drunk wargs everywhere, singing, dancing, playing with food even. Plenty of ponies, griffins and hippogriffs were part of the revelry, but their leaders and several less reckless folks were all seated at the long central table that had been placed in the center. The other tables to the sides of the Great Hall were practically a warzone of partying people.

“Why did we wear these nice dresses?” I meekly questioned Nasuada and she snorted in amusement.

“So that people know better than to carelessly galavant with foodstuffs in our presence.” Nasuada said before leading us into the chaos, which parted like the Red Sea in the Exodus with casual acceptance of our need to pass through. “Most folks will give a lady in a dress deference even when distracted. It helps that you’re such a stunning beauty, Shimmer.”

“N-no more beautiful than you.” I meekly replied and Nasuada smiled at me.

“Coming from such a radiant dragoness, I’ll take that as a great compliment.” Nasuada said before we reached the table and I sat next to Roran near the head of the table with Nasuada sitting next to Ajihad, who was directly next to the head of the table since Hrothgar was the host. “I hope you haven’t been drinking yourself silly, father.”

“You know my opinion on alcohol, my daughter.” Ajihad let his stern countenance crack just a bit with a smile as he poured himself water from a pitcher.

“While I respect your opinion, I still insist imbibing spirits and brews are fine so long as it is for a good occasion or in moderation.” King Hrothgar happily barbed the zebra, who nodded in acceptance of the king’s opinion, but drank his water anyway. “Bah, I’ll bet you’re of the same mind, Lady Nasuada? Considering you’ll be in his role soon.”

“While I am less strict in my beliefs involving intoxication, I however will be abstaining. I have recently learned that imbibing such substances before the age of 20 for most species with an average lifespan of 60 to 80 years is detrimental to our health.” Nasuada pointedly looked at Roran, who nodded with a sip of his water.

“However, Roran and Eragon are Riders. So their bodies are a different story. I don’t know why you insist on avoiding fun when it’s permitted.” Brom grumbled after he took a deep draw of his stein of beer.

“Because I’ve seen what an excess of drink can do to a pony and I do not want myself or Eragon to stumble down that path. Especially not when Eragon is in a vulnerable state.” Roran said with a pointed look at his recently amputated cousin/brother who winced.

“Roran…” Eragon muttered unhappily, but was still only drinking water with his food.

“Little One, I am with Roran on this one. I do not wish you to lower yourself to a state of silliness like these others.” Saphira, dressed in a black dress that complimented her gemstone blue scales, commented with a rub of his back and Eragon’s stump wiggled as if to use said missing appendage to wing-hug her, only for the reaction to make him wince.

“Bah, I’ll be drinking.” Elric chuckled. “I need to experience culture and...huh.” The rat pulled out his altar and spoke quickly with it before looking pleased and baffled. “My Mistress and my organization say they wish to know more about the wargs and their advancement with Roran’s input. Though I will still be going to Du Weldenvarden. They’ll send another observer.”

“Why don't you remain instead of coming with us, then?” Arya questioned and Elric took a swig of his stein.

“Because I’m not a brainy type. I’m an explorer, a warrior, not a scholar. They’ll have someone more suited to watching how an injection of knowledge and technology will change such a primitive society.” Elric said to the elk and the wargs in earshot all paused and sneered at him.

“Primitive?” Hrothgar asked in clear offense. “By what gall do you say this?”

“We fly ships in space. Or as you may know it, the Ether, King Hrothgar. By our definitions, since no one on this world even has anything beyond its gravity well, everyone on this world is primitive in comparison.” Elric calmly replied before chugging his stein of beer.

“Wait, how is that possible? Do you just fly off the edge of the world?” Eragon asked in confusion and Elric did a glorious spit-take and coughed while I joined Roran in wincing.

“Oh no. You still think the world is flat. Oh no~...” Elric groaned and rubbed his temples while I sighed. In the 21st century of Earth, there were still hopeless fools called Flat-Earthers despite all the advancements of technology proving otherwise. Sure, a flat world is scientifically possible depending on the shape of the planet, but most planets aren’t due to physics generally drawing circles, ovoids and other more rounded geometric shapes.

“What? What misconception do you ponies have about the world being flat? Dragons proved long ago that the world is round.” Arya asked in surprise and disbelief.

“Eragon, I’ve shown you my notes.” Roran groaned while Saphira patted her rider’s head condescendingly.

“Don’t worry, Little One. You’ll learn to remember these things in time.” At Saphira’s teasing he blushed hotly and curled in on himself in his seat.

“So there’s no chance of us digging into the void?” Hrothgar questioned insistently and aside from Ajihad and Nasuada, being locals who hadn’t been inducted into our circle of knowledge, we all shook our heads.

“No, but you do have to worry about digging into the mantle and flooding your tunnels in molten earth. You don’t have to worry about that until you reach 3 miles down, but you could go up to 46 miles until hitting the mantle at the world’s thickest surface layer. That is, if this world’s geology is at all similar to the world from my previous life.” I brought up and everyone besides Roran goggled at me in confusion.

“My ideas aren’t entirely mine. Shimmer was reincarnated from a world lacking any magic, but rich in science and technology compared to us. She’s been gladly heaping her knowledge on me and I’ve been implementing it from the understanding she’s allowed me from her memories and perspective.” Roran explained and Hrothgar howled happily.

“Then I am glad that you will be staying with us a while yet! Cheers to the Riders and the prosperity they may bring!” Hrothgar called and everyone in the Great Hall raised their steins with three cheers. “Ha, ha, ha! I haven’t been this happy in decades! In just a few short days, hope returns for the future and my clan has grown even greater.”

“Oh my, that’s who they’re sending.” Elric chuckled, but I whipped his ankle with my tail to shut him up. That can be dealt with later.

“Your clan has grown greater?” I asked probingly and Hrothgar scrunched up his snout in displeasure with a look at Roran.

“I apologize, My King. I haven’t been able to tell her that Eragon and I have officially joined the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. Fitting for me especially since I seem to have a knack for craftwork.” Roran patted my thigh and sent notions of apology while Katrina leaned around his other side to make sure he saw her disapproving leer at him.

“Hmph, don’t let your work ruin your relationships. When Dûrok Ornthrond carved Isidar Mithrim, we all took his obsession to be the danger that it was. Now look. Not even his glorious work was eternal. Now there will only be bittersweet memories in this generation of it’s beauty and what we record in the archives.” Hrothgar grumbled and nursed his stein.

The rest of the table went quiet and I joined them in taking this opportunity to serve myself food. “You dragged yourself into Warg politics, you know that right?” I mentally chided my Rider, understanding that it was likely inevitable. Hrothgar inducted Eragon in canon when he wasn’t even a craftsman. Roran being a tinkering scholar thanks to me practically ensured his membership considering his plans to jumpstart the wargs.

“I know, but I’d rather have a position of power or familiarity to be able to work with the wargs rather than just be some outsider.” Roran reasoned and I couldn’t fault him for that logic. “Besides. With father dead, you and Katrina with me, along with Eragon and Saphira always on the move anyhow, this place feels more like home than Carvahall by this point.”

“Will you never return to Palancar Valley?” I questioned sadly. Roran’s ending in the series was to be made the lord of Palancar Valley by Nasuada. He would return to the ruins of Carvahall and erect a castle, then likely begin his earldom proper from there.

“Of course I will! I need to return there at some point. It is where my family has always been in some form. Even if I won’t be living there, I must restore Carvahall. Perhaps I’ll put a castle on that hill by the bend in the river.” Roran’s mind filled with fantasies of doing such and I smiled at my Rider’s simple and dutiful desires.

“Is he talking about the castle on the hill again?” Katrina stage whispered behind Roran’s back much to his clear amusement, so I nodded and she smiled beautifully.

“Just you wait. I’ll have it someday even if I must hew the stone from a quarry myself.” Roran boasted and I had to giggle at the thought of him using magic to cut stone from a quarry and then cart it on his big, strong, sexy shoulders. Oh no, bad Shimmer. Don’t fantasize about your Rider. That’s Katrina’s job.

“Or I could use my magic to raise a mountain for you to carve into.” I chuckled to them with humor while telepathically ensuring they understood it was in jest. I have no clue how I healed Saphira from Seither Oil poisoning. I don’t know if I could repeat such a thing. I just hope that, somehow, I meet Glaedr before canon events remove the chance for me to learn more about my body’s abilities and nature. Like what caused me to become a tingly beacon of horniness.

“If I wanted to do that, I’d do it to Mount Narnmor, maybe turn the Igualda Falls into an internal wellspring working waterwheels of some grand machine…” Roran’s eyes glazed as new fantasies of taking wargs willing to move into the Spine to begin by carving a new city into the mountain that overlooked Palancar Valley. They would use the stone cut out of it to build defensive castles for a rebuilt Carvahall and Therinsford to start.

Hoo boy, just what have I put into his head? “That sounds like a grand idea, Roran.” Eragon commented with wonder in his tone and an eager grin. “You could even name the castle in Carvahall after Garrow.” Eragon’s words struck Roran’s heart with pain, but then redoubled his conviction. The stone had to come from somewhere, why not a new wargish city?

“Such fantastical ideas. I should hope that it will come true. Having a warg city much closer to us could greatly improve relations.” Arya commented and I realized that Roran’s imagination was so potent right now that he wasn’t even guarding his mind, or avoiding broadcasting his frothing fantasies about such endeavors. Everyone was now looking at him so he blushed and slammed the open window into his mind shut.

“That is such an ambitious goal. It wouldn’t be impossible, considering from the images you shared, this Narnmor is only twice the height of Farthen Dur.” Orik commented with clear interest in the idea and Hrothgar was stroking his braided beard with consideration.

“I had wondered why you chose the smallest mountain in the Beors to build your capital city. Is it’s small size the reason?” Elric questioned, thankfully not bombarding us with non-sequitur.

“Yes. The other mountains each range from 8 to 10 miles high. We cannot go above one and a half miles before the air becomes dangerously thin. Thus it was declared that Farthen Dur was the only mountain in the Beors suitable for full habitation. From what little we know of the Spine, it has few mountains exceeding even two miles in height.” Hrothgar confirmed and Roran nodded.

“That would seem right. Mount Narnmor is perhaps only twice the size of Farthen Dur. This is a rather squat mountain, so I would assume Narnmor is fully capable of a complete conversion.” Roran stroked the beard he’d been developing lately and I groaned audibly at the domino effect I had created with a mere joke.

“Nasuada, save me from these plotting males.” I jokingly mewled, but Nasuada nodded and promptly stood from the table, so I followed.

“We will take our leave for the evening. Thank you for dinner, King Hrothgar. As always it is a pleasure to spend time with you and yours without business or politics in the way.” Nasuada beamed at the warg, who may as well have been her uncle. Said surrogate uncle laughed jovially and waved us off, so Nasuada took my hand and guided me away from the table to my mixture of relief and confusion. “While I love him and father, they’re surprisingly incorrigible when not stuck in their roles of leadership.”

“Oh. I’m sorry for not noticing your own discomfort.” I apologized, feeling rather guilty for not paying more attention beyond the immediate conversation/plotting with Roran. I also barely ate! I think I managed most of my plate before all this talk of founding new cities and whatnot exhausted me.

“You’re not my lady-in-waiting, that isn’t your job. If anything, I’ll need to find one. I’d ask you, but you won’t always be around.” Nasuada said while she brought me out of the still chaotic and noisy Great Hall and she sighed in relief that I felt too. “Finally, some peace. I can appreciate that people want to celebrate our victory, but I feel out of place in such things. Especially when I am melancholic.”

“What troubles you?” I questioned the pretty zebra and she ran the fingers of her free hand through her long black and white mane with a bite of her lip. “Oh? Romantic troubles?” I know that worried look anywhere. I’ve seen it enough on my friends who, despite my continuous bachelorette status, would ask me advice. I suppose here I am again as we climb back up the spiral staircase from the Royal Quarters.

“More rather, I felt a spark, but now it may never come to fruition.” Nasuada muttered unhappily and looked behind us and above, as if she could see someone within earshot before she huffed and shook her head in resignation. “Let them hear. I rather quickly became infatuated with Murtagh Morzanson.” Oo~! That’s right! Those two had incredible chemistry in canon!

“He was barely here a full day.” I commented with surprise even so. I mean, he was ‘locked up’ in a stately room for his own safety until the battle commenced and he joined the fray.

“Yes, but I saw to providing him food and water as was befitting the daughter of the leader having him imprisoned. He’s roguishly charming, witty, not to mention I saw him with his shirt off and I felt like my face was in flames.” Nasuada shamelessly grinned before her expression became saddened. “Now he is gone and I will wonder what that gleam in his eyes had in store for me.”

“Well…” I chewed my lip with my sharp teeth, wondering if I should let her in on the secret.

“Yes? You clearly have insight and I trust that you’re much older than appearances provide.” Nasuada urged me and I waited until we passed the guards at the top of the stairs and were alone in the grand hallways of Tronjheim.

“I have future foresight, of a world much like this one yet different. In it, you and Murtagh have a deep and passionate affair, but it is under duress. You are captured by him on the order of Sombra, which by magic he is compelled to do. He would be forced to torture you, but came to love you deeply and even deadened your ability to feel pain. He would try to worm his way out of his magic enslavement to free you, ultimately to be made out as the villain.” My words had captivated Nasuada and she gestured for me to continue.

“So, you reciprocated his feelings. You trusted each other despite the horrible circumstances. However, your love was doomed due to politics. You were the leader of the Varden and him the puppet of Sombra. Your love was not meant to be and when all was said and done, Murtagh cast himself into exile and you ruled the Empire stoically, alone.” I informed the zebra mare, who looked both awed and appalled.

“This is true? This tale you tell?” I answered Nasuada’s query with a nod. “Then I wish to know. I may be the new leader of the Varden, the Council be damned aside from my uncle, but if I find love, I do not wish to lose it simply because of politics.” Nasuada groused and wrung her hands. “I will take this info into account. Would it be alright if I sought your council in the future?”

“You’ll take my word over those doddering and corrupt councilors?” I questioned rhetorically and she scoffed before taking both of my hands in hers and looking into my eyes. Gosh her eyes are beautiful…

“You’ve proven to be someone of value, not just as an asset, but as a friend and person of integrity. I would trust you before any of those oafs.” Nasuada’s declaration filled me with warmth. Not the kind I felt for Roran or Katrina, but an incredible happiness I felt the few times I bothered to make friends, the few times I tried to break out of my personal bubble and reach out to someone. I know it’s a bit cheesy, but…is this the power of Friendship?